4.+When+is+Creative+Commons+Used



When is Creative Commons Used ?
 As Creative Commons seeks to define options between “all rights reserved” to “no rights reserved,” the question of //when// and //when not to// use a Creative Commons license is of importance. Creative Commons is a non-profit organization seeking to “increase the amount of creativity (cultural, educational, and scientific content) in ‘the commons’ — the body of work that is available to the public for free and legal sharing, use, repurposing, and remixing.” ([] ) For authors who rely on their creative output and derivative works to make a living, releasing material to the commons may or may not be beneficial. i.e., releasing some material may be helpful for promoting commercial material, but authors must be careful to think through their respective business models to ensure that they are not undercutting their revenues.

The various types of Creatives Commons Licenses, with information on //when// to use them are located in "What is Creative Commons."  While Creative Commons offers access to vast amounts of information that can be used in a creative manner, a risk exists in some contexts that over reliance on public material will result in new content not being created - i.e., material will be copied and pasted from various sources resulting in a synthesis of existing information as opposed to the creation of new information. A true community can only exist if everyone collaborates in content generation.

In 2009, Creative Commons introduced the legal tool “CC0” – CC0 is not a license, but a “universal waiver that may be used by anyone wishing to permanently surrender the copyright and database rights they may have in a work, thereby placing it as nearly as possible into the public domain.” (http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/13304) 
 * When to Use Creative Commons - The Case of Education**

(i) Creative Commons as a Teacher. Creative Commons gives us and our students access to an incredible range of media, which we can use, reuse, remix and distribute, as long as we follow the instructions of the creator. This is an incredible resource. It also allows us to share our work with others, while being clear of our expectations as the author/creator. So often, copyright in the classroom is a negative, an onerous thing. As teachers, it is hard for us to be clear on what material we can use - how much of a text, for example - but, with Creative Commons, we know exactly how something can be used in the classroom.   (ii) Creative Commons in the Classroom. Creative Commons gives the teacher a resource to teach about copyright. Most educational materials on copyright focus on restrictions and penalties. Creative Commons is all about possibilities. As we know, students tend to ignore or be stifled when they are being taught about what //they can't do.// //Creative Commons is about what they can do//. It's also about responsibility. It's hard to imagine the importance of copyright laws when you have never been an author. If, on the other hand, you or your students both contribute and use the resources in Creative Commons, you have an opportunity to understand what copyright is all about, as you consider how your material may be used and/or distributed.